Tomato jam recipe

One of my favorite guilty pleasures when I was in preschool was ketchup on biscuits. I’m not sure how I got into the habit of doing this, but a bit of that old, strange love lingers on today when I eat barbecue: I won’t put sauce on the meat but I’ll dip those soft, spongy slices of white bread in a bucket of a tomato-based sauce if given the chance.

I realize this isn’t the most sophisticated thing to eat, heck, some of y’all might even say it’s downright gross. Well, fortunately, a reader asked me if I had a recipe for tomato jam. Now, I’d never eaten tomato jam but I’d certainly heard of it. I even have a T-shirt from the Tomato Jam café in Asheville, North Carolina that my mom sent to me. (I haven’t been to Asheville but I hear it’s the Austin of North Carolina, which means it’s probably a very cool place.) So when this reader asked me for a recipe, I told her I’d get right on it.

First, I checked my old recipe files to see if any of my grandmas and great-grandmas had directions on how proper tomato jam was done. They didn’t. So before I came up with one, I asked the reader what exactly tomato jam was supposed to taste like. She said it was a wonderful mix of sweet and savory; she ate it on her biscuits while her grandpa spread it on his rye toast.

A sweet and savory tomato spread that isn’t ketchup? I was curious. I started thinking about how I would make my jam, and decided I’d do my usual citrus, sugar and spice blend as I do with my apricot jam. A little research led me to Mark Bittman’s recipe in the New York Times where he had the same idea. I followed his approach with a few modifications and, I must admit, this tomato jam was curious. It looked like a cross between strawberry jam and ketchup. Which seemed odd. But once it cooled a bit and I could really taste it, I was hooked.

Tomato jam is indeed sweet, spicy and savory and, because I’m Texan, I also make it a little bit fiery. It’s like a more sophisticated ketchup, though it could certainly pose as a fruit spread as well. (Though I’m not sure if tomato jam is quite ready to be paired with peanut butter.)

Spreading it on my biscuit, I was a kid again dipping my biscuits into ketchup. But this time it was not only socially acceptable but a heck of a lot more sophisticated and delicious as well. I’m now a fan of tomato jam and I think it’s splendid on burgers, grilled cheese sandwiches, eggs and, of course, biscuits as well. And if you try it, perhaps you’ll find it splendid, too.

Do you eat tomato jam? What do you like to do with it?

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Tomato jam

Servings1pint

AuthorAdapted by Lisa Fain from the New York Times

Ingredients

1poundRoma tomatoes, chopped and cored

1/2cupsugar

2tablespoonslime juice

2teaspoonslime zest

1/4teaspoonground cinnamon

1/4teaspoonallspice

1/2teaspooncumin

1/2teaspoonsea salt

1/2teaspoonground black pepper

1or 2 dried chiles de arbol, crumbled

Pinchof chipotle powder

Instructions

Combine all the ingredients in a pan, bring to a boil and then simmer, stirring often until tomatoes have dissolved and jam is thick and glossy, about 45 minutes. Pack jam into a sterilized container. Keeps in the refrigerator for 2 weeks.

Recipe Notes

Variations on this could be made by adding chopped jalapeños, chopped cooked bacon or I’ve even heard of people stirring in a bit of bourbon. And if you thinking this is close to chipotle ketchup, it is, though that has a few different spices and vinegar to give it that familiar tang.

Never tried it but have wanted to since Giada made it on Everyday Italian a few years back. This is a whole different take on it though – and being Texan – I'm sure I'll side with yours! Seriously can't wait until your book comes out!

My boyfriend's grandma makes tomato jam with her tomato crop. I haven't ever tried it, but it seems interesting. I've had jalapeno jam before though, which is delicious… a jalapeno-tomato jam would be superb! Might have to try it next summer.

Lisa, My grandmother (who lived in South-Central Texas) made this forever! I didn't like it the first time I tasted it, but I sure miss it now. Hers was heavy on the cinnamon and never included peppers or lime, but it was delicious, nonetheless. My grandfather loved eating sliced tomatoes with sugar and cinnamon sprinkled over the top, which came close to the flavor of her tomato jam. Thanks for the recipe and for the memories.

My grandfather was a south texas rice farmer, and i have memories of him in his hometown mexican restaurant spreading his paper napkin out on the table- lining up tortilla chips in rows, and then slowly dolloping ketchup on each of his chips and commence methodically eating his little concoctions and then repeating until his meal arrived. He wasn't adverse to spicy. He just liked his ketchup. He probably would've loved this.

I have made tomato preserves, but it was the type that you actually could put with peanut butter, but I usually just eat it on toast or biscuits. Especially the spicy (as in cinnamon and allspice) one.

I have heard of tomato jam but never tried it! It sounds wonderful! I am thinking it would be great as a sandwich spread- you could go so many different directions. You could do roast beef, tomato jam, roasted green chiles and cilantro or you could take it an Italian direction with the roast beef, tomato jam, fresh basil and sauteed onions.What about using it as a base for a Mediterranean dip? Yum! So many choices!

I make a chilli jam – which is really just a tomato jam with lots of chillies in it – I can vouch for the crackers and cream cheese combination! Also really nice with goat's cheese…in fact, come to think of it, it's really nice with just about anything.

I love ketchup on bread, too, but usually as sandwiches. My stepsister and I once bonded over ketchup and cottage cheese sandwiches (apparently it was a favorite treat of Nixon's … hmmmmm). I am drowning in tomatoes right now, so I need good canning recipes. I'm putting this one aside to try!

I have to admit, I haven't eaten a lot of tomato jam, but it sounds delicious on a biscuit or on a grilled cheese sandwich. I like the use of lime and dried chiles in your version. I'd love to give this a try!

This sounds just like a jam my grandfather always keeps in the house to spread on sourdough toast and eggs. As a kid I thought it was a weird substitute for ketchup but as I grew older I fell in love with the spicy mix of flavors. I would love to try making this at home!

I'm so glad that you shared this recipe – I've been so curious about tomato jam, too, and have always loved ketchup (my preferred dip for a grilled cheese sandwich – I'm also quite the sophisticate), but this sounds even better, especially with a sack of sweet summer tomatoes.

Interesting that you liken your tomato jam to ketchup because the only kind I've ever tried is up in Iowa, where the family roots are, and if you didn't know it, you'd have thought it was strawberry jam. Appropriately enough, I think I do recall having it on biscuits. The boy and I are obsessive about jalapeno jelly, so this seems right up our alley, something great to pour over cream cheese and munch on with crackers, as another reader mentioned.

This is wonderful over cream cheese. I first purchased the jam in a little shop in Hot Springs, AR while on vacation 20 years ago and fell in love with the spicy flavor and chunky tomatoe texture. Been trying to duplicate that flavor ever since…I've come very close, Maybe the memory of it is just better than reality…lol.

We like to use it as a condiment with lamb chops or chicken or grilled cheese sandwiches. My husband's father was from Texas and his mother from Louisiana. He became a fan of your website when I sent him the link. Oh, I have just made three batches of your wonderful refrigerator pickles. Thank you for your blog.

This sounds yummy. When I was growing up in Conroe, we didn't have a lot of money. My mother was a single mom and worked two jobs without much time (or talent) for cooking. However, she used to make tomato biscuits as a special treat on Saturday nights. She would buy the cheapest can of biscuits at the Piggly Wiggly, and wrap each biscuit around a piece of tomato (sometimes fresh, sometimes canned) and a cube of butter. Then bake. Yum!Maureen

This sounds wonderful! I'm going to set it aside for my next trip to the farmer's market. Wonder if tomato jam tastes anything similar to the "tomato sauce" I had in South Africa. They tried to pass it off as ketchup but it was definitely too sweet to pass as American ketchup.

Also, Asheville is amazing. Its not the North Carolina version of Austin either. Having grown up in Asheville and visited Austin and I can say that Asheville is unique and wonderful in ways all its own. Definitely worth a visit if you ever get the chance.

Oh YUMMO! My sis-in-law gave me a buttload of tomatoes, some are yellow and very tasty. We are in North Carolina now and don't have room to bring the box home. This will be the perfect solution, though I may have to do a water bath to seal them.

I do agree with Carolina Girl, Asheville is no Austin but its funky, fun, and eclectic for sure. We were there Friday night and going again today for thrifting. My parents moved from east Texas to the mountains of NC 8 years ago. We can't wait to be able to get here permanently ourselves.

Never tried or even heard of tomato jam, though I am from TX. But…dipping white bread in BBQ Sauce has always been one of my favorites. Lots of memories of doing that at my grandmothers house, as she kept her sauce warm on the stove at dinner. MMMM!

Really looks like a chutney to me. Love anything like this even though I am not fond of ketchup but love tomatoes. I pour Cholula sauce on my tortilla chips and eat them just like that. There appears to be some sort of jam revival here in the UK with people making their own for the first time.

I've never been to Austin, but I have been to Asheville and it's delicious! Seriously, everything we ate there was fantastic. It's not a fancy restaurant scene like Chicago or NY, but all the food there is made from fresh organic ingredients – yum!

Oh my goodness! I just found your blog after I googled a recipe for homemade sopapillas. I, too, am a homesick Texan, living in FL and missing my hometown of El Paso. I completely miss the mexican food and was craving sopapillas, so tonight I AM making a batch! Just read your cantaloupe blog. Have you ever had cantaloupe water, or agua de melon, as they call it? SO yummy! I am so glad I stumbled across this blog, will be adding to my google reader!

My mom has made tomato relish for years, and it is DELICIOUS. I'm pretty sure it's my grandma's recipe from the early 1900s. Basically: 10 large tomatoes, diced, 2 large onions, sliced, 1-1/2 cups each vinegar and sugar, 1/2 teaspoon each cinnamon, cayenne, and cloves, 2 teaspoons salt. Cook slowly all day long until thick, then process and can. Your version with chiles and lime is intriguing — I'll try it next time.

Hi. I found this post by searching for "what to do with tomato jam". I had an overabundance of tomatoes and ended up making a batch of jam with them before I knew what to do with it!

Thanks. Now I'm really looking forward to cracking open a jar. The recipe I used looks similar to yours, with tomatoes, spices, and some hot peppers.

As far as savory jams and jellies go, I've made jalapeno jelly before and loved it. You might want to rethink the peanut butter sandwiches! Who says peanut butter has to be paired with only sweet things? I discovered that I LOVE peanut butter and jalapeno jelly sandwiches. It kind of reminded me of Thai food.

Though, for the tomato jam, I think I'll try it first on a grilled cheese sandwich or burger. Thanks for the inspiration!

This turned out great! I had two minor changes. I couldn't find any chipotle powder so used a dash of chipotle salsa instead and I sliced a serano pepper in half and let it hang out in the jam while cooking and removed it later. I don't think the pepper did much, next time I am going to chop it up and leave it in. Thanks again.

I'm making tomato jam for christmas presents this year…your recipe looks delicious, and I will definitely be incorporating many aspects of it! (I'm actually combining a few recipes…and want a sweet jam and a spicy jam!)

I saw where you spoke of your t-shirt from Asheville…and compared it to Austin. Now, I haven't lived in Texas since I was a child. But, I live in NC, and visit Asheville often. Asheville is a culinary wasteland, unfortunately. The restaurant you spoke of is a little cafe, that just doesn't do their recipes justice.

I hate to sound so mean…but I have been disappointed so many times there.

If you are in the area try Charlotte, just a couple of hours away, for some truly unique restaurants…or Atlanta!

My Grandma and I used to make Tomato Jelly every summer until she passed. I miss it!! We used to smear it on toast and fresh biscuits. Hers was more of a fruit jelly because she made it sweet with cinnamon and nutmeg and not spicy.

I am so happy to know that someone out there had this Tomato Jam recipe. As a child my mother use to make this and i loveed it,but forgot to ask my mom for the recipe when she was still here with us;she is now gone but i still remember her Tomato Jam. Thank you so much for sharing it.

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